He is the True God and Eternal Life

“Dad, my friend told me that Jesus isn’t God.” Several weeks ago, my daughter came home from school and recounted a conversation she had with someone in her class. As we talked about the conversation, I was able to remind her that the Bible affirms Jesus is fully human AND fully God. This challenge from my daughter’s friend is not unique. Pastor Jeremy reminded us recently that it is not Jesus’ humanity that many doubt (as did the secessionists in 1 John), but his divinity.

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Over the last several months, we have returned again and again to a central theme in John’s letter. Christology. John wants us to see that having a right understanding of Jesus really matters.

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This article provides a simple apologetic tool (see the chart at the end) to remember key New Testament evidence that affirms Jesus’ divine nature. I group the key New Testament texts under the following categories:

• • The Works of Jesus
  • The Words of Jesus
  • The Witness about Jesus
  • The Worship of Jesus
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The Works of Jesus

While many more could be highlighted, I will highlight two works of Jesus that underscore his divine nature: walking on the Sea of Galilee and forgiving sins.

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Walking on the Sea

Although Matthew, Mark, and John all mention that Jesus walked on water, Mark’s Gospel includes a seemingly inconsequential detail that upon further reflection sheds light on the meaning of this event.

"And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them" (Mark 6:48 ESV).

The Gospel of Mark is the only Gospel that includes the phrase “he meant to pass by them.” This little phrase echoes two instances of God appearing to his people at Sinai. First, God tells Moses, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord’” (Ex 33:19 ESV). Similarly, in 1 Kings 19:11 “the Lord passed by” Elijah when he is at Sinai. It is no coincidence that in two significant moments of revelation, God passes by someone. When Jesus reveals his power on the sea, he intends to “pass by” the disciples thus drawing attention to the actions of God at Sinai.

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The other phrase, “walking on the sea,” is identical to the wording of Job 9:8 in the Greek Old Testament (known as the Septuagint). Job declares that God “trampled the waves of the sea.” Just as God tramples the waves, in the same way Jesus walks on the sea.

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Together, these Old Testament connections to Job, Exodus, and 1 Kings are intentional links that Mark wants us to see. Through these hyperlinks Jesus is revealing himself to be God in the flesh.

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Forgiving Sins

On one occasion some men lower a paralyzed man through a roof to meet Jesus. In the presence of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, Jesus says to the paralyzed man, “Man, your sins are forgiven you” (Luke 5:20). In response, the Pharisees and religious leaders charge Jesus with blasphemy because they recognize that God alone can forgive sins (Luke 5:21). It is one thing to extend forgiveness to someone who has wronged you. It is quite another to pronounce forgiveness of sins to a stranger. In order to demonstrate his authority as the Son of Man, Jesus tells the paralytic to rise and walk (Luke 5:23-24).

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If this text speaks about Jesus’ divinity, why does he call himself the Son of Man? This is one of Jesus’ favorite designations and it is likely a reference to Daniel 7:13-14 where one like a Son of Man ascends to the Ancient of Days and receives all authority. What is striking is that the Son of Man in this prophetic text is a divine figure.

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The Words of Jesus

In addition to showing his divine nature in his actions, Jesus declares his divinity in his words. In a confrontation with the religious leaders, Jesus makes a staggering claim. ‘“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.’ So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple” (John 8:58-59 ESV). Why would the religious leaders pick up stones? Because in their reasoning, to make such a claim was blasphemous.

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The “I am” statement in this text–one of many in John’s Gospel–is a subtle reference to the divine name in Isaiah 43:10 and Exodus 3:14. God’s divine name can be understood to mean, “The One Who Is.” So, when Jesus says, “I am,” (a being verb in Greek) it is a likely allusion to the divine Name.

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The Witness of the Apostles

In addition to the words and actions of Jesus, the witness of the Apostles clearly affirms that Jesus is God. For instance, in Romans 9:5, Paul says, “To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen” (ESV). Christ is “God over all.” The phrase “who is” is identical to the phrase in the Greek Old Testament in Exodus 3:14 where God declares to Moses, “I am the one who is.”

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Similarly in Titus, Paul says that believers are “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13 ESV). The Greek text of this verse affirms that Jesus Christ is both God and Savior.

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In the opening of Peter’s second letter, he says, “Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 ESV). As in Titus, God and Savior are modifying Jesus Christ.

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Finally, John affirms Jesus’ divinity. At this end of his letter he says,

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life (1 John 5:20 ESV).

Throughout his letter, John argues for the humanity of Jesus, but he ends his letter reminding his audience that Jesus is the true God and eternal life.

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The Worship of Jesus

Although there are several places in the Gospels where Jesus receives worship (Matt 2:11; Matt 14:23; Matt 28:9; Luke 24:52; John 20:28; John 9:38), I want to focus on one passage in particular. John’s vision of Jesus in Revelation clearly shows that Jesus is divine. In the heavenly throne room vision in Revelation 5, John sees “a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain” with complete authority and sovereignty over creation (Rev 5:6). What is striking is that the elders, four living creatures, angels, and all creation worship both the one “who sits on the throne” and the “Lamb” (Rev 5:13-14). John’s vision of the Lamb–Jesus–clearly shows that he is God because he receives worship that only God receives.

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While much more could be said about the divinity of Jesus, these four angles–the Works, Words, Witness, and Worship–are a helpful tool for understanding Jesus' divine nature. My encouragement is to study, memorize, and prayerfully meditate on the verses below as you continue to grow in your understanding of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

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Works

• Walking on Water (Mark 6:48)
• Forgiving Sins (Luke 5:20)

Words

• “I Am” statement (John 8:58)

Witness

• “Who is” (Romans 9:5)
• “God and Savior” (Titus 2:13)
• “God and Savior” (2 Peter 1:1)
• “True God and eternal life (1 John 5:20)

Worship

• Receives Worship (Rev 5)